Joe "Isuzu" staff of St. Pete "apologizes" for not providing RLC crash data showing increase in wrecks!

Ban the Cams Note:  http://www.banthecams.org/Red-Light-Camera-News/joe-isuzu-invades-the-city-of-st-petersburg-rlc-department.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Isuzu Quote: Joe Isuzu was a pathological liar who made outrageous and overinflated claims about Isuzu’s cars.

Ban the Cams: Only this time the Joe (City of St. Pete) is trying to sell RLC as a "safety" device!

City of St. Pete (AKA Joe Isuzu) http://www.tampabay.com/news/localgovernment/tampa-st-pete-red-light-cameras-making-money-reducing-violations/1234215 He said his department compared the average number of red-light accidents in the three years before the cameras were installed to the numbers in the six months since the cameras were installed.

The number of accidents related to red-light running at the 10 intersections with cameras has dropped 60 percent.

(No not really Joe (city of St. Pete).

Former FHP patrolman with 25 years in force who went thru stats FOUND the "decrease" was a Increase!

http://www.thenewspaper.com/rlc/docs/2012/fl-spanalysis.pdf

"In the "before" period, there were a total of 6, 12 and 10 accidents in 2008, 2009 and 2010 respectively -- for an overall average of 9.3. After the cameras were activated, there were ten crashes total. "

 

Paul went on to say this:

"Utilizing the data from the city, there is no way to arrive at a 60 percent reduction in crashes caused by red light running," Henry concluded. "However, the director did not say crashes caused by red light running, he used the term 'red-light related' crashes. This parsing of words is of little relevance in light of the factual data obtained and analyzed. The statement of any reduction cannot be supported with the data available, which shows the average increased post-camera by 7 percent."

http://www.tampabay.com/news/localgovernment/st-petersburg-staffers-apologize-for-not-telling-city-council-about-crash/1266015

St. Petersburg staffers apologize for not telling City Council about crash increase
By Mark Puente, Times Staff Writer
Mark PuenteTampa Bay Times Posted: Dec 13, 2012 05:14 PM

ST. PETERSBURG — City staffers apologized Thursday for not giving the City Council a key document about traffic crashes rising in a report about red light cameras.

"We had no intention to mislead the public," said Joe Kubicki, director of transportation and parking management. "We don't do that."

Kubicki took the blame for not disclosing that crashes jumped 10 percent at intersections with red light cameras in the past year.

He stressed that the 122-page report might have focused too much on the year-old camera program and not enough on crash statistics.

During the council workshop, Mayor Bill Foster said the council can examine any data they need before deciding next week whether to support his plan to expand the program.

"We want to be transparent," he said.

The council learned about the increase in the Tampa Bay Times, which requested the figure Wednesday after examining the report.

Crashes increased from 298 to 328 at the 10 intersections with cameras between November 2011 and October of this year. Total crash numbers were included in two earlier council reports and also used to decide where cameras should be placed.

Council member Wengay Newton wants the council to vote to end the contract with the private Arizona-based vendor, American Traffic Solutions. He lambasted staffers because the council again learned key news from the media or residents.

He also questioned Kubicki's response since the report is partly titled "An Intersection Public Safety Program."

"You can't have it both ways," Newton said.

Foster stressed that the 22 cameras have made streets safer.

He pointed to the thick report, citing that crashes caused by red light running dropped 25 percent and injuries from those crashes fell 39 percent at intersections with cameras.

The cameras, he said, will not affect other crashes, such as cars striking pedestrians or bicyclists and drivers being distracted behind the wheel.

"No camera system out there is going to eliminate stupid drivers," he said.

The cameras in St. Petersburg generated nearly $3.6 million in fines in their first year of operation. Violations cost motorists $158.

Of that, the state received 44 percent, and 8 percent went into two Florida trust funds. The city kept $707,000 after paying $988,000 to the private vendor.

When the council voted 5-3 in April 2011 to install the cameras, Leslie Curran, Steve Kornell and Wengay Newton voted against them.

Charlie Gerdes, the council's newest member, was not in office then. He has not publicly said whether he supports keeping cameras.

The group doesn't have the power to halt the expansion, but it could dissolve the contract.

After the workshop, Foster expressed concern about the program's future.

"City Council is going to determine that," Foster said. "Council has the power to kill the program."

Another camera program in Florida was killed Wednesday.

Collier County commissioners voted 3-2 to remove red light cameras from 12 intersections, exercising an option in the county's 10-year contract with ATS to spike the program after the first year.
 

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